Israeli army raids Balata refugee camp 4 times in 24 hours

By Awad Rjoob

RAMALLAH (AA) - The Israeli army stormed the Balata refugee camp in eastern Nablus in the northern West Bank late Saturday for the fourth time in 24 hours.

The Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that military forces stormed the camp amid heavy gunfire, the deployment of snipers and the arrival of reinforcements, accompanied by a bulldozer.

Activists on social media shared videos allegedly showing military reinforcements heading toward the camp, and videos that had the sounds of gunfire, which they claimed were from clashes between Palestinians fighters and the Israeli army.

The army had withdrawn late Saturday from the camp after an hours-long raid that resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians and injuries to dozens, according to witnesses and Palestinian medical sources.

Simultaneously with its onslaught on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army intensified operations in the West Bank, resulting in 592 deaths and approximately 5,400 injuries, according to official Palestinian data.

​​​​​​​Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, amid a deadly Israeli offensive that has killed nearly 39,300 victims in Gaza since Oct. 7.

In a landmark opinion on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land "illegal" and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul